President Prime
by Omega-Em-Z-01
Summary: In short, reasons why Optimus would make a good president. Written in good fun and for a class. One-shot.


_Backstory:_ _In my AP Government class, we were given an assignment in which we had to evaluate a character from popular culture on how well they would be as a presidential candidate. When our teacher said that we could choose anyone, I, of course being a bit of a Transformers fanatic, thought of Optimus Prime. It makes sense, doesn't it? He could make a really good president. So I finished this in less than two hours (had to refer to notes on presidential qualifications) and thought that it might be fun to put it up online. I mean, why not? Plus I've been quiet for a while so I thought this would be a good way to let people know I was still alive ;) I actually kind of combined several of the different iterations into one. I have to present this in front of people, and it could've hurt brains._ _ANYWAY, enjoy this mild rant. It's_ _short and probably scrap, but it was made with love._

A potentially great presidential candidate, in my opinion, is Optimus Prime from the Transformers franchise. There are several reasons that qualify Optimus for the position of American President; he is an excellent political leader, a commanding speaker for the public, a dedicated servant for the greater good, and expresses undying loyalty to his political party, the Autobots, of which he has been a party member for the past 4 million years. This red, white and blue patriot would work in the best interests of the American people and work his hardest to make the world a better place.

Optimus Prime may be an odd candidate due to his difficulty to match with most American demographics, but thankfully there is nowhere in the Constitution that specifically says that the president must be a human being. He meets the minimum age requirement for the position since he is around 5 million years old. Therefore, one or two 4-year terms as president would not be difficult to accomplish. He has also resided in the U.S. for the minimum time required by the Constitution, disguising himself as a semi-truck in order not to alarm large crowds of humans. The only formal requirement that he does not meet in the Constitution is that Optimus Prime is not a natural-born citizen of the United States. He was either harvested from a spark hot spot on his home planet Cybertron or built by a master race of aliens called the Quintessons, depending on who you ask and which iteration you're asking about. But other than that, Optimus Prime does actually meet all of the formal qualification for being president in the Constitution.

Optimus Prime also manages to meet many of the informal presidential qualifications as well. He is a male, or by Transformer terms a mech, is middle aged by Cybertronian standards, and has extensive experience in the military and other leadership roles. He has worked as a historical archivist, a police officer, a leader of a military group, and as the last living Prime in his society. He has also done his best to maintain peace and has served as an interim chief justice. Though Optimus is a part of the Autobot party, he could likely represent the Democratic Party during his campaign. Both groups are concerned with equal opportunity, pro-immigration, and social welfare of the American people. He may not be married, but his girlfriend Elita One (yes, he actually has one) would be able to stand in as First Lady. Probably most importantly, he is a great speaker and debater. He commands the conversation when he speaks, but doesn't dominate it and allows others to voice their opinion. He will probably find it the most challenging to convince the American public that he will best be able to represent their interest since he is an alien robot and not a human. But he may be able to convince them that he is one hundred percent on their side.

Optimus Prime may be more than qualified to lead the country as President and could take on each role with ease. His time as Autobot leader has helped him expand his leadership abilities to a wide range of situations. He is able to make difficult decisions under stress and keep a level head, which is important for a Chief Executive. He would make a great Chief Diplomat and Head of State because he is known for putting other ahead of himself and working to make their lives better, and most other world leaders may be intimidated by the country that has a giant transforming robot as its leader. He is already a great party leader, and his political influence can help to shape policy that benefits the American people. Commander in Chief would be a great role for him because he has a tremendous about of military experience, so the role is familiar to him. Most of all, Optimus Prime would be a great crisis manager. He is calm under stress, rarely lets his emotions get the better of him, and his style of speech has the reputation of getting people's attention and helping them understand the situation. Not many people can stand over a crowd of hundreds of brawling Autobots, Decepticons, and neutrals and deliver a speech that not only gets their attention but also calms them down and stops the fighting altogether.

One of the major parts about being president is a candidate's ability to handle large periods of stress effectively. Optimus Prime would be able to handle to handle the presidential powers without a doubt. He would rather find a more diplomatic way of finding a solution than go into conflict, but he is willing to take action if there is no other option. He is a fair individual who will execute the law to its fullest extend, go against and deny laws he thinks are unjust, and will put only the most capable of people into other leadership positions. He would also do his best to avoid abusing executive privilege, and his main concern is keeping American citizens, and any other humans, safe from harm.

Optimus Prime would be able to appeal to the public very effectively. Most people would have some idea of who he is already, he has a very unique speaking style, and more importantly, he can broadcast an image that separates him from the other candidates. His color scheme also gives him a more patriotic appeal that other candidates would lack. Optimus Prime can cast a very positive appearance for both his candidacy and his political party.

Congress wouldn't be able to impeach Optimus Prime simply because he is an alien robot holding a high political position formerly held by humans. As stated before, the Constitution doesn't specifically say that the president must be a human being. Not only that, but mere policy disagreement is not an impeachable offence. Congress may try to charge him with war crime he may have committed during his time as Autobot leader, but that wouldn't be specifically during his presidency. So it is unlikely they would be able to impeach him for something like that. In short, Optimus Prime my be able to avoid possible impeachment very well.

In conclusion, a good presidential candidate doesn't necessarily have to be human. Optimus Prime can represent the American people's interests, handle the stress associated with the presidency, and lead our country calmly through conflict and crises. He would make a great president for the United States. And in all honesty, who wouldn't want a giant, transforming robot leading them into the future?


End file.
